Refrigerating apparatus



1931- H. P. BRAEUTIGAM ET AL 1,832,089

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 29, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet l gmmmw 15 7 %W' W; Mm

Nov. 17, 1931. H. P. BRAEUTIGAM ET AL 1,832,039

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 29, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 2 gwventou' 1931- H. P. BRAEUTIGAM ET AL 1,832,089

REFRIGERATING APPARATUS 6 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 29, 1928 gnw'ntots REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Feb. 29, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 gnve'ntoas fil;

1931- H. P. BRAEUTIGAM ET AL 1,832,039

REFRIGERATiNG APPARATUS Filed Feb. 29, 1928 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 Jnwutoz;

Patented Nov. 17,, 1931 STATES PATENT OFFICE HENRY I. BRAEUTIGAM AND WILLIAM G. HOLCBRIOOK, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR-S TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, OF DAYTON, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFBIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed February 29, 1928.. Serial No. 257,989. I

This invention relates to refrigeratin apparatus and more particularly to an insu ated refrigerating cabinet adapted for mechanical refrigeration.

An object of this invention is to provide a refrigerating cabinet in which substantially all of the interior and exterior surfaces are made of porcelain covered sheet metal.

Another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet having outside walls made of porcelain overed sheet metal small number of fastening members for said panels independently removable from the cabinet.

Another object of this invention is to provide a refrigerator cabinet having exterior porcelain covered metal walls with means between panels of said walls for preventing.

. panels are used and in which said members are hidden from view or are placed in in-.

conspicuous parts of the cabinet- Another object of this invention is .to provide a flexible spacer to be placed between porcelain covered sheet metal panels to pre-.

vent chipping of the porcelain.

Another object of this invention is to pro.- vide a procelain metal covered refrigerator cabinet with sound deadening means in the wall construction thereof.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein apreferred form of-the present invention is clearly shown.

a In the drawings: a i

Fig. 1 is aperspective View of a cabinetembodying features-of our invention;

Fig. 2 is a {verticaltransverse cross-sectional view taken substantially along a middle plane of the cabinet;

Fig. 3 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken at right angles to Fig. 2 and substantially along the middle line thereof;

Fig. 4 is a horizontal cross+sectional view taken substantially at the center of the cabinet.

Fig. 5 is a horizontal cross-sectional view taken substantially along the middle line of the lower compartment of said cabinet;

Fig.6 is a front elevation of a'frame used in the construction of said cabinet;

Fig. 7' is a side elevation of said frame;

Fig. 8 is a top elevation of said frame;

Fig. 9 is a bottom elevationof said frame;

Fig. 10 is an enlargedperspective view of a corner of the frame shown in Figs. 6 to 9 inclusive, with thegussets omitted;

Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the corner 1 shown in Fig: 10 with the members offlthe frame'spread part to, show details of 'construction;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged detailed cross-sectional view taken substantially along the line 12-12 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 13 is a vertical section taken substantially along the line l313 of Fig. 12 with portions broken away to show the various members; and

Fig. 14 is an elevation of a flexible shown in Fig. 12.

A cabinet in which features of our invention are embodied isigenerally designated as spacer 20. In general, it comprises a frame 21 upon which is supported an outer casing generally designated as 22, an inner limng generally designated as 23, insulation generally designated as 24, and a cooling member generally designated as 25.

The frame 21 may be made of wood as hereinafter more fully described. Around the frame may be placed the outer casing 22.

The outer casing may be made of panels of porcelain coated sheet metal. The sides of the outer casing may be made oftwo panels 30 and 31 which extend from the bottom to Ehe top. of the cabinet and are provided with anges on the two upright edges designated as 32and 33 and a flange at the top indicated as 34. The front of the cabinet may be made of two panels 40, a central horizontal panel 41, an upper horizontal panel 42 and a center mnllion panel 43. All of these front panels have flanges along their longitudinal edges which are adapted to embrace the frame members. Panels 41, 42 and 43 also have flanges at the ends. These panels can be attached to the frame by nailing through holes provided in the flanges along the longitudinal edges. The panels 30 and 31 are attached to the frame 21 by nailing the flanges 34 and by screws 35, with suitable washers. passing through holes at the bottom of said panels.

The back wall 45 may extend down to the lower compartment and may be held bv the flanges 32 of the side panels 30 and 31. If the cabinet is not expected to be exposed at the back this rear wall need not be of enameled sheet metal. Screws 35a may pass through flanges 32 and back wall 45 into frame 21.

Wherever it is necessary for the flanges or edges of the inner or outer walls to cross members of the frame or to run along the same, grooves are provided to receive these flanges or edges. As shown in the drawings. grooves 50 and 51 are provided on the outside of'the frame. Other grooves 78, 78a and 79 (Fig. 6) are also necessary in this particular embodiment. These grooves occur at the ends of the panel 41, at the ends of the pa-nel43. and also on the inner side of the frame at places correspondingto the ends of the panel 43 in order to allow the inner lining to cross the center mnllion as hereinafter more fully described.

The inner lining'23 may be a box-like sheet metal member having its inner sides enameled. The edges of the opening of the lining 23 may be inwardly offset as at 46 to provide edges 47 parallel to the sides of the lining. An opening 52, slightly downwardly paneled, may be provided in the bottom of the l ning in order to receive hermeticallv sealed therewith a defrosting drain 53, which passes through the lining and insulation into the lower compartment where it forms a liquid seal loop 48 and empties into pan 85.

In order to accommodate the panels as hereinbefore desrribedthe frame 21 may be constructed as follows: Two upright front corner struts 55 may have their ends cut as shown at 56 in order to receive the side top beams 57 also having'ends' cut as at 58 to fit in cut 56. The front top beam 59 may be made of two pieces, the rear portion 60 extending behind the front main portion of member 59 and being nailed thereto. If desired. of course, the main portion'of member 59 and member 60 may be integral and the ends mav be cut in a shape to receive the end of .the strut 55 thus making beam 59 similar tobeam 57. As shown in Figs. 10 and 11, a cut at the end of beam 59 forms the groove 51 hcreinbeforcdescribed. The strut 55 hasthe groove 50 cut at its corner as does "refrigerating apparatus.

placed behind the strut 55 upon which thev member 60 rests. This member 55a may be nailed across the grainonto member 55. The side beam 57 may then be screwed, by means of screws 64. onto the strut 55 after an additional nail has been driven through strut 55 into beam 59. If desired, beam 57 need not be as thick vertically as beam 59 and hence will leave an opening 65 which isinvisible after the panelling hasbeen placed on the framework. As shown in Fig. 6, an offset 55?) is provided in strut 55 in order that the door opening of the lower compartment of the cabinet may be made larger so that refrigerating machinery may be insubstituted having inherent therein means for receiving the casters 75. These special gusset plates 74 may be of the type more fully described in the application of William C. Holbrook, Serial No. 258,006, filed February 29, 1928, executed concurrently herewith, for

Between the front struts 55 of the frame may be placed a horizontal beam 76 forming part of the bottom of the door jamb. Joining the beams 59 and 76, may be placed a center mnllion strut 77. A beam 7 6b joins the struts 55 at the bottom. Grooves 78 and 78a, similar to grooves 51, may be placed between members 76, 76b and '55, and rooves 79 both in front and behind the strut%7 may be placed at the end of strut 77 where it joins beams 59 and 76 for receiving the flanges of the porcelained panels as elsewhere de scribed. The front struts 55 are connected to the rear struts 80 by means of beams 57 heretofore described, and also by middle beams 82 and bottom beams 83. The rear struts 80 may be joined by top beam 81, intermediate beam 82a and a bottom beam 83a. Horizontal brackets 84 may be secured to the members 76 and 82 to support the drip pan 85 in a manner hereinafter more fully to be destrut 77 with a rear frame piece 77a shorter than the front part and nailed thereon. The piece 77 a is sufficiently shorter to provide grooves 7 9 in the rear of mullion strut 77. A.

i rear porcelained sheetmetal rectangular panel 84a, having flanges on all four edges is placed over the piece 7 7 a and nailed at the flanges to said piece 77 a. The end flanges of panel 84a are parallel and adjacent to the top and bottom edges 47 \of the lining 23. If desired, flexible spacers, hereinafter described, may

be placed between the edges 47 and the flanges of panel 84. I

In assembling theinterior of the cabinet the lining 23 may be nailed at the edges 47 to the frame members 60, a and to a frame member 7 6a which may be nailed on the rear of the horizontal door jamb member 76. Suitable holes are made in the lining 23 at the edges 47 before the enameling process, these holes being used for nailing the lin ng 23, as above described. Since the outside panels are not assembled on the frame untll I after this operation, insulation 24 may be secured to the lining 23. A way of fastening the insulation is to coat the outer sides of the lining 23 with some asphaltic cement and to coat the surfaces of slabs of insulatlng material, such as corkboard, and then to press the slabs against the outer sides of the lining 23. The asphaltic cement on the lining and, on the slabs after cooling holds the slabs of insulation securely in place. The bottom slab of insulation may be held in place additionally by a sheet metal member 85a which is secured to the frame members 82a and 82. The horizontal brackets 84 for the pan 85 may then be secured to member 76 and the member 82a.

After the insulation is in place, sound deadening sheets of flexible material, such as wallboard, may be secured to the frame to cover the two sides. 'This material may also be placed over the top of the cabinet and narrow,

sound deadening eflect which removes the hollow sound generally present when cabinets of this character, are struck. In addition, this material 86 forms a cushion which decreases the liability of breakage of the porcelain at the points where fastening means are used to attach the porcelained panels to the frame.

After the wall-board 86 has been placed on the cabinet the outer panels are secured to the frame-work. The panels 40 may be secured by screw35 at the bottom and by nails at the flanges inside the door jamb.

' The front panel 42 may then be placed over the framework. The front panel 42 is secured by nailing the flanges within the door jamb. Before placing the panel 42, a flexible or compressible spacer generally designated as 87 may be secured to the panel 42. This flexible or compressible spacer may comprise a rubber strip 88 U-shape in cross-section adapted to hook over the flange of the panel member 42; After the members 40 and 42 may have been secured with the strip 88 in place a metal trim 89 may be placed over the rubber strip 88, this metal trim may be U- shaped in vertical cross-section and may have inwardly directed flanges 89a which fit around the edge of the rubber strip 88. The arms 90 of the U-shaped member-89 then fit over the beam 59, and the arms 90 may be nailed to said beam 59. The top sheet of wall-board need not be placed on the cabinet until after the trim 89 has been secured in place. The panel 41 may then be placed in position in a manner similar to the panel 42 with similar flexible spacers 87 at the ends. The center mullion panel 43 may then be placed on the cabinet with flexible spacers 87 at its end similar to those placed at the end of panel 42. Door jamb molding, comprising strips 95, of wood or the like, may be secured by screws or nails to trim the door jamb, and to cover the edges 47 and the flanges of the panels after the 'front is completed, the side panels 30 and 31 strip of Monel metal into the form of a T,

and with the bending being of a character which causes the edges of the strip to spread apart with a natural springiness to provide flexibility to the spacer. the stripmay have tongues 92 adapted to be wound around the vertical flange 24 of the member 40 to hold the spacer in place.

.The side panels 30 and 31 may be wedged into the groove 50, between the spacer 91 and the edges of the groove. These side panels One of the edges of of the cabinet. after which they may be secured by screws 35 at the bottom and by nails I passing through the top flanges 34 into the frame. The back wall member 45 maybe placed on the cabinet before placing the side panels and 31 and may be held temporarily in place by any suitable means until the side panels 30 and 31 are placed on the cabinec.

Screws 35a may then be used to fasten mem cured in place in the manner more fully described in the application of Francis E. Stevenson, Serial No. 257,999, filed February 29, 1928, executed concurrently herewith for refrigerating apparatus, to which reference is hereby made, if necessary, for further details. Briefly speaking, the cooling compartment is secured by fastening bolts through the lining 23 before the insulation is placed thereon, these bolts being of a type to allow the subsequent fastening of the coolng compartment walls to the lining 23. Within the cooling compartment, an evaporator 101 is placed and this may be of the flooded float controlled valve type adapted to receive liquidrefrigerant and to return evaporated refrigerant to refrigerating machinery generally placed in the compartment 7 0 of the cabinet, or placed in the basement generally beneath the cabinet. The front wall of the cooling compartment is provided with an opening 104. The cooling unit 101 has backwardly beveled faces 104a forming an ice tray opening 105a. Through this opening, ice trays 105 may be inserted in, or removed from the cooling unit. The fronts of the ice trays 105 are adapted to close the opening 104.

A defrosting pan 106 may rest slidingl on shelves 107 secured to the walls of the coo ing compartment or to the Wallsof the lining 23. An opening 108 may be provided in the side wall of the cooling compartment, and this opening, together with the various openings shown, provide for convection currents of air within the cabinet. The defrosting pan 106 may have its bottom sloping toward a drain arranged to discharge into the funnel 53a of drain 53.

Doors 110 of any suitable construction may be secured by means of fastening members comprising hinges 111 and locks 112. These fastening members 111 and 112 may have shims interposed between them and the metal work of the cabinetandthe screws or bolts for these members may pass through the panels into the framework. of the cabinet or of the door. This aids in holding the porcelained panels in place and removes strain from the panels by transferring the weight of the doors directly to the framework.

A lower door 113 may be placed in the opening of'the compartment 70. This door may be hinged by merely providing cylindrical portions of rods adapted to rest on U-shaped rackets 114 so that the door 113, if desired, may be lifted from the box and a different door substituted therefor. A spring catch, not shown, may be provided within the cabinet at the top of door 113. \Vhen the refrigerating machinery is placed in the compartment 70, the door may be provided with louvers 115 which permit the passage of air through the compartment to cool the condenser and compressor generally used. Usually rear wall 45 of the cabinet extends only to the frame member 82a thus providing an opening in the rear of compartment 70 for a more thorough circulation of air. However, when the refrigerating machinery is not to be placed in compartment 70, the rear of the compartment may be closed by any suitable cover and a front door may be substituted for door 113 which may be provided with trays or bins for storing food in the compartment. A suitable pan 116 is secured to the lowerframe members for forming the bottom of the compartment 70, or

for catching any oil that may drop from' the refrigerating machinery.

The joint for the corner of the cabinet as shown in Figs. 10 and 11 may be slightly modified, for instance as shown in the application of William O. Holbrook, Serial No. 258,005. filed February 29, 1928, executed concurrently herewith, for refrigerating apparatus.

The type of washer which is interposed between the heads of screws 35 and the porcelain .panels may be, though not necessarily, somewhat as shown in the patent to Leon J. Barwood, 1,538,155, patented May 19, 1925. The screws 35 may be wood screws with heads of the countersinking variety having wedge-shaped. bottoms. The washers also may have their inner edge wedge-shaped, so that the screws may be countersunk within the washers to present a neat appearance.

' While the form of embodiment of the invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having a frame, a flat metal side panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its upright edges, one of said flanges being unexposed to the exterior of the cabinet, said side panel forming one corner only of said cabinet, and a metal front panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its upright posed to the exterior of the cabinet, said side a panel forming one corner only of said cabinet, and a metal front panel secured to'said frame and'having flanges alon its upright edges, one of said last named flan es being unexposed to the exterior of the ca inet, the unexposed flange of said side panel andof said front panel being adjacent each other.

3. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having a frame, a flat metal side panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its uprightedges, one of said flanges being unexposed to.the exterior of the cabinet, said side panel forming one corner only of said cabinet, and a metal front panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its upright edges, one of said last named flanges'being unexposed to the exterior of the cabinet, the

. unexposed flanges of said side panel and of said front panel being adjacent each other,

and a flexible spacer between said unexposed flanges and secured to one of said flanges;

4. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having a frame, a flat metal side panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its upright edges, one of said flanges being unexposed to the exterior of the cabinet, said side panel, forming one corner only of said cabinet, and a metal front panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its upright edges, one of said last named flanges bemg unexposed to the exterior of the cabinet, the unexposed flanges of said side panel and of said front panel being adjacent each other, said front panel extending around a corner of said cabinet to form a portion of the side of said cabinet.

5. An insulated refrigerator cabinet provided with a front door opening and having a frame including upright corner struts; metal panels on each side of said cabinet having flanges along their upright edges; upright front metalpanels on each side of said door opening each having flanges along their uprighfledges; a flange on each side panel being ad'acent to and substantially parallel with a ange on a front panel.

6. An insulated refrigerator cabinet pro vided with a front door opening and having a frame including upright corner struts; metal panels on each side of said cabinet having flanges along their upright edges; upright front metal panels on each side of said door opening eachhaving flanges along their upright edges; a flange on each side panel being adj acent to and substantially parallel with a flange on a front panel, each of said front panels being bent to form a corner of said cabinet.

7. Aninsulated refrigerator cabinet pro- .vided with a front door opening and having a frame including upright corner struts;

metal panels on each side of said cabinet having flanges along their upright edges; .up-

right front metal panels on each side of said door opening each having flanges along their upright edges; a flange on each side panel being adjacent to and substantially parallel with a flange on a front anel, and a flexible spacer between said ad acent flanges.

8. An insulated refrigerator cabinet provided with a front door opening and having a frame including upright corner struts; metal panels on each side of said cabinet having flanges along'their upright edges; upright front metal panels on each side of said door opening each having flanges along their upright edges; a flange on each side panel being adjacent to and substantially parallel with a flange on afront panel, each of said front panels being bent to form a corner of said cabinet, and a flexible spacer between said adjacent flanges.

9. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having a frame and having its side and front outer walls made of porcelain coated metal panels secured to and independently removable from said frame, said panels having adjacent edges, and flexible spacers between 'said edges.

11. in insulated cabinet having a frame, comprising three members joined at a corner with outer surfaces establishing three planes at right angles to each other; said members having vertical grooves adjacent said corner; vertical metal panels covering some of said members having flanges at the edges adjacent each other inwardly directed in said grooves. 12. An insulated cabinet having a frame comprising three members joined at a corner with outer surfaces establishing three planes at right angles to each other; said members having vertical grooves adjacent said corner;

vertical metal panels covering -some of said members having flanges at the edges 'adjacent each other inwardly directed in said grooves; and flexible spacers between said flanges, v i

13. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having metal panels with adjacent and parallel edges'forming'a joint and a flexible spacer between said edges, s'ai'dflspa'cer being provided with a'metal cover along the edge of the joint formed between said flanges.

14. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having metal panels with adjacent and'parallel flanges and a U-shaped rubber spacer around one of said flanges having a portion between said panels.

15. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having metal panels with ad'acent and parallel flanges and a U-shaped ru ber spacer around one of said flanges having a portion between said panels, and a metal cover for the portion of said spacer which is between said panel.

16. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having a frame, a flat metal side panel secured to said frame and havin flanges along its upright edges, one of said flanges being unexposed to the exterior of the cabinet, said side panel forming one corner only of said cabinet, a metal front panel secured to said frame and having flanges along its upright edges, one of said last named flanges being unexposed to the exterior of the ca inet, the unexposed flanges ofv said side panel and of said front panel being adjacent each other, and a flexible spacer between said unexposed flanges.

17. A refrigerator cabinet having a frame,

' fiat metal enamel covered panels secured to said frame and having adjacent and parallel eglges, and a rubber spacer between said e .ges.

18. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having metal panelswith adjacent and parallel flanges having inwardl directed edges, and a compressible spacer etween said flanges, said spacer having a portion extendmg around one of the inwardly directed edges of one of said flanges.

19. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having sheet metal panels supported independent of each other, the panels having substantially straight parallel and adjacent inwardly projecting edge portions, and a compressible spacer compressed between said edge portions.

20. An insulated refrigerator cabinet having sheet metal panels supported independent of each other, the panels having substantially' straight parallel and adjacent inwardl v projecting edge portions, and a compressible rubber spacer compressed between said edge portions.

21. A cabinet comprising a frame structure provided with grooves, metal panels covering said frame structure, said panels having inwardly directed flanges at their adjacent edges and said flanges extending into said grooves, and flexible spacers between said adjacent edge flan es. i

In testimony w ereof we hereto aflix our signatures.

' HENRY P. BRAEUTIGAM.

WILLIAM C. HOLBROOK. 

